How To Propagate a Radish

Hot weather makes radishes taste hotter.

Radishes thrive with lots of sunshine in cool weather. It's an ideal crop for a child to learn to garden, as it grows quickly and is harvested within three weeks of planting. The ideal way to propagate a radish is with a radish seed. Wait until the soil warms to 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring or cools to 65 F in the fall to before planting the radish seed.

Things You'll Need

• Rototiller or garden fork
• Sand
• Compost

Instructions

1. Till the soil to a depth of 8 inches, crushing any large dirt clods. Add a 3-inch layer of sand and a 2-inch layer of compost to the bed and mix it well with the soil. Rake the bed until it is level.

2. Plant the radish seed 1/4 inch deep. If you plan to propagate more than one radish, space the seeds 1/2 inch apart.

3. Water the bed to keep the soil moist at all times during germination and the growing season.

4. Sow additional seeds one week later to have a steady supply of radishes all spring or fall.

5. Thin the radish plants to 3 inches apart when they reach 1-inch in height.

6. Check the radish for pests, such as the cabbage root maggot. It is a white 1/3-inch long worm that lives in the soil. Symptoms of an infestation include wilting foliage. Contact your county cooperative extension for help in determining the proper treatment in your area.

Tips & Warnings

• The compost used at planting does away with the need for fertilizer during the growing season.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Radish
• Cornell University; Radish; December 2010
• The Old Farmer's Almanac: Cabbage Root Maggots
• "Burpee Seed Starter: A Guide to Growing Flower, Vegetable, and Herb Seeds Indoors and Outdoors"; Maureen Heffernan; 1997